Rodney D. Bennett, left, displays his Southern Miss jersey as he is named the University of Southern Mississippi president during a press conference in the Thad Cochran Center.

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It's the beginning of a new year at the University of Southern Mississippi, and the emphasis is unmistakably clear.

Retention. Progression. Graduation.

"Our work this school year is going to be about how we position ourselves to maximize the greatest amount of (state) funding possible," Southern Miss President Rodney Bennett said. "For us, that's going to be retention. It's going to be progression. And it's going to be working to improve graduation rates." ...